Are this year’s phones set to be the smartest yet?

Samsung, Sony and LG all announced new smartphones this weekend, and Nokia has revived its sliding 'banana' phone...

In the market for a new smartphone in the next few months? You’ll have plenty to choose from, as a number of smartphone brands including Samsung, LG and Sony have just announced their latest handsets.

The handsets were all unveiled at Mobile World Congress (MWC), which kicked off in Barcelona this weekend. We’ve taken a look at all of the new handsets to find out just what sets them apart from those currently on the market.

Samsung Galaxy S9
Samsung is continuing its assault on the iPhone with the Samsung Galaxy S9 and Samsung Galaxy S9+. The two new handsets, which have 5.8in and 6.2in screens respectively, are water resistant, can be charged wirelessly and offer a new feature called AR Emojis, that create animated characters duplicating your facial features

It doesn’t stop there though. Samsung says the camera on the Samsung Galaxy S9 is great for taking photos in low-light situations and can even record slow-motion video in a style similar to Sony’s Xperia XZ handset.

Furthermore, the smartphone is geared up for entertainment too, with support for Dolby Atmos in the speakers so you can experience 360˚ sound.

The Samsung Galaxy S9 and Samsung Galaxy S9+ go on sale on 16 March and will be priced at £739 and £869 respectively. They're available from all the UK’s major networks and Samsung’s website.

Sony Xperia XZ 2
At the same time, Sony unveiled the Xperia XZ, with a big focus on entertainment. The 5.7in smartphone can play Ultra HD (4K) TV shows and movies on its screen and even upscale videos that are not in this format so they look brighter and sharper with richer tones.

However, the handset really stands out because of the inclusion of a dynamic vibration system. It analyses the sound in a video or game and vibrates in time with the audio to make you feel as if you’re fully immersed in the action. For example, a large explosion in a movie may create a strong but short vibration, while a steam train could elicit a longer but softer vibration. This is similar to how some PlayStation game controllers work.

The Sony Xperia XZ 2 retains the ability to create 3D selfies that can be used on social media sites and can capture super slow-mo videos but now in better quality. Sony is also offering the Xperia XZ 2 Compact – a 5in version that offers the same great features as the Xperia XZ 2.

The Sony Xperia XZ 2 and Xperia XZ 2 Compact will be available in April and are priced at £699 and £549 respectively.

Artificial Intelligence
LG has made sure Artificial Intelligence (AI) heavily features in its new smartphones. The LG V30S ThinQ uses AI in its camera to analyse what you’re taking a photo off and then automatically tweaks the settings based on the type of photo you’re taking; including portrait, food, landscape, sunrise, and sunset. Furthermore, the smartphone manufacturer builds on Google Assistant by allowing users to open apps and access settings just by asking the smartphone. The LG V30S ThinQ will be available later in the year. Pricing details have yet to be released.

Nokia
Nokia unveiled four new smartphones that range from entry-level to flagship. The Nokia 8 Sirocco, Nokia 7 Plus, Nokia 6 and Nokia 1 are all Android smartphones that offer a number of features including great battery life, simple interfaces and great cameras. The brand also launched a new version of its old 8110 handset, the slider “banana” phone - this feature phone has a design that slides down to reveal the keypad, it can support 4G mobile internet and even has access to an app store so you can download apps like Facebook, Twitter and Google Maps.